Let’s dive right in with another analysis of the mythology behind the Mega Man Zero series, this time focusing on Zero 2’s serpentine villain: Hyleg Ourobockle.

Zero is sent on a mission by Elpizo to save Resistance soldiers who’d gone missing near the ruins in the Forest of Dysis. This in itself is a mythical reference; Dysis is the name of one of the twelve Horae in Greek mythology, goddesses of the hours of the day who oversaw the sun-god Helios as he traveled across the sky. Dysis is the goddess of the sunset, a perfect fit given that the Forest of Dysis stage is played with a vibrant sunset background behind the forest trees.

Zero learns the Resistance soldiers he is rescuing were sent to the forest to find one of the Baby Elves. After fighting through the forest and navigating the ancient ruins, saving soldiers along the way, Zero encounters Hyleg Ourobockle. He stops the snakelike Reploid from killing a Resistance soldier who’d found the Baby Elf. Hyleg engages Zero in battle alongside his giant snake-like Mechaniloid, Altroid (or Altoloid, depending on the translation).

The name Ourobockle is inspired by the Ouroborus, the symbol of a snake or dragon eating its own tail.

The Ouroboros appears in the mythology of numerous cultures, including Egyptian, Indian, and even Greek. The meaning behind the symbol changes among cultures, but it often represents the cycle of time and eternity, the constant nature of beginnings and endings. This works out nicely, with Dysis meaning sunset — and Hyleg relating to birth.

The Hyleg, in ancient astrology, was the classical planet which was considered to have the greatest influence on one’s vitality and was used in calculating one’s lifespan. It was called the “Giver of Life.”

The Hyleg was studied in conjunction with the Alchocoden, the “Giver of Years.” In Greek astrology, the Alchocoden was the planet which was ruler of the Hyleg. The strength of the Alchocoden played a part in the vitality provided by the Hyleg. Although I’m not positive, it's my theory that Hyleg Ourobockle’s Mechaniloid, Altroid, was named for the Alchocoden.

While we can all agree it wasn’t Hylego Ourobockle’s plan to “give life” to the Resistance soldiers he’d encountered, nor was it Altroid’s intention to “give years,” the names actually work on a much deeper level.

After Hyleg is defeated, Zero is visited by Cyber-elf X, who informs him that the awakened Baby Elves are crying for their mother, the Dark Elf. It was X who sealed the Dark Elf a century ago, and now the events have been set in motion for the Dark Elf to terrorize the world yet again. It’s a cycle. The battles with Dr. Weil over the Dark Elf had already occurred in a time long forgotten by our amnesia-plagued hero. Zero enters the Forest of Dysis (the sunset), encounters the Ouroborus (the never-ending cycle), and faces Hyleg and Altroid (the re-birth of the war).

It’s mythological, robotic poetry at its finest.

But what do you think? Did I miss any mythical inspirations for Hyleg Ourobockle, or was there something I missed in his stage? Let us know in the comments!

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aRobinsonWriter is a member of The Mega Man Network's User Content Submission System, and the views expressed here reflect the views of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mega Man Network.